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China food security
EconomyChina Economy

China vows to boost farm output, seed research in renewed food security, tech self-reliance push

  • Annual rural policy blueprint from State Council vows to stabilise grain-planting area and focus on ‘significantly increasing per-unit yield’
  • Renewed self-sufficiency push comes as US tensions, climate change and supply chain worries over Ukraine war weigh on global market outlook

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Annual rural policy blueprint from China’s central government includes a pledge to “step up efforts” to produce urgently needed “independent and superior” seed varieties. Photo: Xinhua
Luna Sunin Beijing
China will boost agricultural output and press ahead with seed research to achieve the top rural policy goals of food security and agritech self-reliance, a key government blueprint says.

The annual rural policy document, released by the State Council on Saturday, vowed to stabilise the country’s grain-planting area and focus on “significantly increasing per-unit yield”.

The latest blueprint, usually the first one released by China’s cabinet each year, underscores the strategic importance of food security for the country of 1.4 billion people.

China is the world’s biggest grain producer and consumer, and has vowed to boost grain self-sufficiency over the next decade. Grain harvests last year hit a record 695.41 million tonnes, according to official data. Output has remained above 650 million tonnes since 2015, and is also the target set for this year.

However, the country also depends on imports for certain crops, due to changing consumer demands and cheaper alternatives for animal feed such as soybeans and corn.

The blueprint vowed to expand the plantation of soybean and other high-yield oilseed varieties this year.

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